近日，Patentlyapple网站又发布了苹果的数项最新专利申请，公司计划在未来电子产品中使用新的耐用材料。日前公布的苹果专利文件详细描述了包括从iPhone到Macbook和Apple Watch在内的各种产品中使用钛金属、钛合金和“混合塑料”的计划。

　　塑料粘合提高防水性能

　　其中一项专利申请，详细阐述了利用把塑料与多孔金属粘合的工艺，改进未来苹果电子产品的方法。

　　用户无需再为高大上的产品裹上一层难看的塑料薄膜，苹果这项专利申请，阐述了利用热塑性塑料提高苹果产品防水性能，密封内部元器件暴露在外部分的方法。

　　专利申请材料称，“粘合两种材料的粘合剂强度，可能在一定程度上提高电子产品的抗冲击性，使产品更结实、耐用。”

　　钛有什么好处?

　　铝合金机身的iPhone就够漂亮了吧?不过下次购买iPhone时，机身材质可能会迎来大变革。

　　大多数苹果电子产品机身和内部结构都使用了铝合金材料，在喷涂彩色涂层前，银灰色外观显得很高大上。但外观颜色较深的机身，通常使用锆及其合金，不但价格昂贵而且加工困难。

　　相比之下钛及其合金材料价格不高，而且保留了铝合金重量轻、容易加工的优点。利用物理气相沉积工艺，可以方便地对钛及其合金“美容”。

　　对于深空灰和亮黑色iPhone来说，钛合金材料更高的韧性非常有帮助，尤其是考虑到亮黑色iPhone的掉漆问题。

　　这两项专利申请听起来颇有前景。如果苹果未来把这两项专利申请用于生产中，它可能会推出一些非常坚固、有吸引力的产品。

　　部分原文如下：

　　Device Structures Formed from Porous Metal Bonded to Plastic

　　Apple's invention generally relates to bonding a plastic to a metal, and more particularly to filling pores or other apertures in the metal with a material that bonds more strongly with the plastic than does the metal alone. Typically, the material filling the pores may create a chemical or mechanical bond having higher bond energy than a metal-plastic bond. The material may be an adhesive, such as a heat-curable adhesive, in certain embodiments.

　　Pores may be formed in the metal substrate by chemically etching the metal, using nano-molding technology to create pits or other apertures in the metal, blasting the metal, abrading them metal, and so on. The resulting pores (or other apertures) may accept the adhesive, which may fully or partially fill the pores. The adhesive may be sprayed or brushed on, or otherwise deposited. In some embodiments, the metal may be dipped in the adhesive.

　　Waterproofing Impact Resistant Advantages

　　One advantage to this process of plastic on metal is to provide waterproofing as well as decorative and aesthetically pleasing surfaces on the device. Waterproof thermoplastic surfaces do not rust or corrode and thus are preferred over some metal surfaces which may not be as resistant to these elements. In addition, in order to protect the metal surface and certain electronic components, a watertight seal may be desirable between the thermoplastic material layer and the metal housing of the device.

　　In patent point #36 they further note that "In addition to providing a waterproof or other liquid-proof bond, the strength of the bonds between the materials may provide some degree of impact resistance to the electronic device. The increased bond strength thus results in a sturdier, more durable product.

　　Apple's patent FIG. 2 noted above particularly illustrates the plastic cover surface #130 and the metal body #120 in cross-section, showing a sample seam or joint between the two. Apple further notes in their filing that "The plastic section #130 may be transparent in certain embodiments and may form a cover surface," illustrated as a MacBook cover in FIG. 4. Patent FIG. 3 is an exaggerated view of the FIG.2 where the metal and the plastic meet.

　　Apple's patent application 20170094824 was filed in September 2016. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.